Overview

• In a June 30 meeting at the Quirinale, President Sergio Mattarella publicly denounced the prison system’s “grave and unsustainable” overcrowding.
• He highlighted widespread structural deficiencies in many facilities that demand immediate maintenance and renovation.
• Mattarella insisted that detention centers include dedicated areas for socialization, productive activities and treatment planning rather than solely for custody.
• He warned that spiraling inmate suicide rates represent a “true social emergency” requiring enhanced prevention measures.
• The president called on the Penitentiary Administration and Polizia Penitenziaria to implement capacity expansions, infrastructure upgrades and mental health programs without delay.